Keisha Waites
Keisha Sean Waites (born 1972) is an American politician from the state of Georgia. A Democrat, she served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2012 to 2017, representing southeast Atlanta, College Park, East Point, Hapeville, Forest Park, Hartsfield Jackson Airport, Porsche Headquarters and parts of Clayton and DeKalb counties.[1]
Keisha Waites | |
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Member of the Georgia House of Representatives from the 60th district | |
In office February 13, 2012 – September 18, 2017 | |
Preceded by | Gloria Bromell Tinubu |
Succeeded by | Kim Schofield |
Personal details | |
Born | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. | October 30, 1972
Political party | Democratic |
Education | Georgia State University Atlanta Metropolitan State College (BA) |
Website | Campaign website |
Early life and career
Born in 1972 at Grady Hospital, Waites attended Lakeside High School in Atlanta and graduated in 1991. She then attended Georgia Southern and Atlanta Metropolitan College and graduated with a degree in political science.[1] In 2014, Waites completed Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government as a David Bohnett LGBTQ Victory Institute Leadership Fellow.
Waites's qualified for the District 60 House seat on January 9, 2012.[2][3] In the special election, she took 54.2 percent of the vote (321 votes) compared to 18.6 percent (110 votes) for Theresa Middlebrooks and 27.2 percent (161 votes) for Latrenka Riley, thus avoiding a runoff.[4]
Waites resigned from her House seat on September 18, 2017, to run for the chairship of the Fulton County Commission.[5] She lost to incumbent Robb Pitts.[6] She ran in the Democratic primary for Georgia's 13th congressional district against incumbent David Scott, coming in second place in a field of four candidates.
Personal life
Waites is openly LGBT.[7]
References
- http://www.house.ga.gov/Documents/Biographies/waitesKeisha.pdf
- Dyana Bagby (January 11, 2012). "Atlanta lesbian Keisha Waites running for public office — for ninth time". The GA Voice.
- "List of Candidates on the February 07, 2012 Special Election Ballot". Georgia Secretary of State.
- Laura Douglas-Brown (February 7, 2012). "Election results: Keisha Waites to become fourth openly gay Ga. state legislator". The GA Voice.
- https://www.reporternewspapers.net/2018/05/23/pitts-to-remain-fulton-county-chair-in-close-win/
- Greg Bluestein, Political Insider blog. "The nation's first black and lesbian lawmaker resigns from Georgia Legislature". ajc. Retrieved 2020-03-19.